(DAR) Guderian was striped of Veitinghoffs XXXXVI's PzC and was attached to Kleist's 1st PzG and moving south of the marsh. Brest was leveled and his panzers are moving forward toward Minsk. The rail repair and supply has to move east, supplied troops are happy troops...Its been over a year since I played 41, lets see how I do...Enjoy...

(DAR) XXXXVI PzC struck south, the rail junction (yellow arrow) is a must take early. Its the shortest railline to Kiev...Other notes, I play from the center out, others play top to bottom. It's my chess background. Closing the Pripyat marshes and joining AGC and AGS is a must...

Jon, Glad you decided for the AAR. im particularly interested in your strategy in this game compared to your last AAR with the added experience and game updates.

Laurence

wmcalpine -> RE: AAR Jon vs Soviet AI 41 (9/9/2010 2:09:37 AM)

Good to see another AAR from you Jon. What difficulty level are you playing the AI at in this one?

Bill

Captain B -> RE: AAR Jon vs Soviet AI 41 (9/9/2010 2:57:45 AM)

Jon, Welcome back! finally, something to look forward to after a long day at work again!

The rail junction in post 2, any reason why you didn't complete the pocket or are you not at the end of your go in the middle yet? Rules similar to your other AAR?t...strategy and tactics questions ok, others go in the QA? Thanks.

Many of us are continuing to salivate each and every day waiting for beta and release...so most appreciative of this AAR!

PyleDriver -> RE: AAR Jon vs Soviet AI 41 (9/9/2010 3:18:28 AM)

Capt that ss is a DAR in the south theres more to follow. I'm working on completing 2nd & 3rd PzG moves now. Theres just so much new now, and the fist turn takes so much time to complete...As far as my grand strategy, Leningrad is my main goal, closing the Pripyat marsh and joining AGC and AGS is second and grag as much of the Ukraine I can. I push as close to Moscow as possiable. I don't conduct a Fall offence, I chose to shorten the lines in early October and dig in. The winter is Hell in 41...I hope to go into 42 in this AAR, so lets see what happens.

stewart.bragg -> RE: AAR Jon vs Soviet AI 41 (9/10/2010 12:30:42 AM)

Glad to see you doing another AAR. I really enjoyed the last one and this one should be better as it shows a more advanced version of the game. Take those pesky Soviets![sm=tank2-39.gif]

PyleDriver -> RE: AAR Jon vs Soviet AI 41 (9/10/2010 1:22:39 AM)

T1 north...4th and 3rd PzG fanned out getting bridges across the Daugava. This will allow my infantry to advance quickly next next turn. 9th Army is a key to my plan. I've already began pulling them from the pocket to move between 16th Army and 3rd PzG. 14th mot and 900th Lehr mot (in red) will attach to to 9thA to aid in there advance...

Sorry for the delay guys. Dummy me played the whole 1st turn only to find I was playing human vs human...Duh... I didn't feel like playing as the Soviets also, so I had to restart. The first turn takes the most time and I should have some ss's soon...

PyleDriver -> RE: AAR Jon vs Soviet AI 41 (9/12/2010 7:05:45 PM)

T1 south...XXXXVI PzC once agian came south. I'll wait until turn 2 to attach them to 1st PzG. This time they just plowed thru opposition. 1st PG has only 2 PzC's of two PzD's each to start. There are 4 Motorized divisions (two SS), and a PzD held in reserve until turn 2...I did make the best of what I had to trap 5 TD's and 1 Soviet MD...

Jon, do you intend to play as you would against the AI (which will show more AI weaknesses), or against a human? Naturally, you're playing against the AI, but the AI has difficulty with things that a human player would have little to no difficulty with, like trying to break pockets through attacking regiments if you split up divisions.

el hefe -> RE: AAR Jon vs Soviet AI 41 (9/12/2010 8:59:02 PM)

It is a dangerous thing to use your "vs AI" tactics against a human player. In me and Bob's PBEM game, I have broken every pocket in which he used either an Axis minor or a broken down regiment to guard the outer perimeter. I am learning the same lessons that linear defenses lines, while they work against the AI, a human will blow right through them.

Trey

quote:

ORIGINAL: ComradeP

Jon, do you intend to play as you would against the AI (which will show more AI weaknesses), or against a human? Naturally, you're playing against the AI, but the AI has difficulty with things that a human player would have little to no difficulty with, like trying to break pockets through attacking regiments if you split up divisions.

ComradeP -> RE: AAR Jon vs Soviet AI 41 (9/12/2010 9:02:05 PM)

That's exactly the reason why I'm asking. A "I'm playing like I would vs a human" approach would give a better idea of what is normally possible in a PBEM.

PyleDriver -> RE: AAR Jon vs Soviet AI 41 (9/12/2010 9:12:34 PM)

Well in this case there armor would have to be used to help them break out, and trapped units won't go far. I have alot of mech units in reserve and can even trap more. As I see theres levels of buffer with trapped units which should be enought.

PyleDriver -> RE: AAR Jon vs Soviet AI 41 (9/14/2010 12:50:24 AM)

T1 center...3rd PzG fans out clearing out a 170 mile wide front. This will allow my infantry to advance quickly. Agian I plan to move 9th Army quickly between 16th Army and 3rd PzG. 4th Army will reduce the huge pocket...

T1 north...Agian 4th PzG fanned out trapping units and gaining bridgeheads. I pulled the XXXVIII corps (yellow circle) off the line and transfered its one division. It will join 2nd Army next turn as 3 fresh divisions arrive next turn...

T2 DAR...The forming 2nd Army...2nd Army is frozen until turn 3, I cant wait. Guderian's right flank needs to be guarded. The circle in the rear is frozen, the corps in the middle was formed, and the corps at the front was transfered from 4th Army...

T2 DAR...Hoths left is now what I'm looking at... XXIII corps has a new leader, Model. 14th MD with 100st Flm PzB attached and was the lead element. 900th Lehr attached and formed a strong corps. Their mission, along with 9th Army, swat the units that pop up between 16th Army and 3rd PzG...Oh. 60th MD is going to be released from Germany on turn 4, and will be attached to Model...

T2 center...Infantry is the big question in the advance. 4th Army will be weeks before they help. Plans were made for the flanks with 2nd and 9th armys. Getting a bridgehead over the Dnepr is the goal now....

Jon - how do you keep it all so neat and tidy? Not only have you completely swept your rear areas, whilst making very good miles with your lead elements, you also have operational reserves that will be able to clear up any counters out of the marshes or from the woods NW of Vitebsk (and move quickly to support the panzers as they move on Mogilev and Vitebsk). Remind me not to play you!

S

Sabre21 -> RE: AAR Jon vs Soviet AI 41 (9/15/2010 4:02:44 PM)

Jon..what level are you playing on?

PyleDriver -> RE: AAR Jon vs Soviet AI 41 (9/15/2010 4:38:33 PM)

Andy I'm playing on normal this time. I wanted to see how effective I could do on turn one (for a future PBEM). I know Joel frowns on it but it doesn't inpair the AI. I want to send losses in this test without beefed up defence factors the AI creates. Its bad enough the AI can escape out of every crack it has with MP's that don't exsist...So, I'm playing on normal and having fun...lol...

PyleDriver -> RE: AAR Jon vs Soviet AI 41 (9/16/2010 3:33:10 PM)

T2 South...I now have 4 PzC's at the front. The going is tough. I'm not sure what army I want to attach XXXXVI PzC to, but it needs to be done next turn. I'm at the extent of my C&C with 2nd PzG. It will cost me 28 AP's, and I spent all I had appointing Model and getting 2nd Army organized... On another note, Joel wanted me to explain that a player with my experence shouldn't be playing on "normal" setting and do a public AAR. So please understand I make things look easy, it's not. I spend alot of time before I even make a move, hell I even dream about this game in my sleep. It's funny I wake up booting up the computer while the coffee brews. It's that bad, and I've been testing this game over 2 years...

As Jon said, experienced players that want a challenge should not play on Normal level. Jon has been playing this game for over 2 years now and has probably made these first Barbarossa turns 100+ times now. The game has changed, rules have changed, and the AI has changed, but Jon's changed with them and basically he's light years ahead of the AI. We provide 5 play levels. At the normal level (which is what PBEM players should play), the AI is given only a very few intrinsic advantages that we felt were justified (to make up for basic things it just can't do like a human player) in order to keep it at a good level to entertain new players. We think Challenging level, which gives the computer some morale, supply, transportation, administrative and construction advantages is for the player that's learned the basics and wants more of a challenge. Any of the 5 different kinds of help for the AI can be individually set. The Hard level is expected to be a challenge for experienced players like Jon. The Impossible level is intended to make it very difficult for even the best player to win. The other play level is Easy, which gives the player advantages and is only intended for a player just starting out that wants to win while they are learning the rules. In the old SSI days we generally had 4 play levels (Easy, Normal, Challenging and Hard), and I don't know of any game where an AI could provide any kind of challenge to an experienced player unless set to Challenging or Hard.

As Gary likes to say, we provide a range of options so everyone can find what they are looking for. From beginner to experienced player we have something that will challenge you. If you want to crush the AI, you have that choice.